The rumours about the appointment of B B Vyas as new governor of Jammu & Kashmir have gone viral on social networking sites face book and twiter and this speaks volumes about the tendencies of Kashmiri babus to spread rumours about the appointment of B B Vyas as new governor in place of the incumbent governor N N Vohra. Like Kashmiri babus Vyas is too known for appeasing his political and bureaucratic superiors. Vyas is the top non local retired bureaucrat who has the distinction of serving as principal secretary to three chief ministers Omar Abdullah, late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti. Though he was removed as principal secretary to chief minister by Mehbooba Mufti two years back but it took him only few months to re-occupy the position of principal secretary to chief minister. After re-occupying the position of principal secretary to chief minister Vyas was appointed as Chief Secretary in place of B R Sharma a local bureaucrat who despite having five years of service to attain the age of superannuation was removed from the top position not for poor showing but for lacking the qualification political proximity with the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her ministerial colleagues. The removal of B R Sharma as Chief Secretary and his deputation to central government for five long years before the due date of superannuation surprised one and all and created an impression that Vyas’s appeasement has experiment worked and brought him to the top position.
Obviously it seems that Kashmir bureaucrats known for having strong political connections with B B Vyas are spreading rumours about his appointment as governor of the state just to earn his blessings and continue their hold on key positions. God knows better if Vyas pushes out Vohra to fulfill his ambitions of becoming governor of the state before the return of a popular government in the state.
The allegations of appeasement against Vyas gained ground when Mehbooba government granted him extension twice and the last time his extension was granted for one year. Had Mehbooba government not fallen, Vyas would head the top position for one more year. Though central government probably noticed his appeasement tendencies and showed him door immediately after imposition of governor’s rule in the state but he was perhaps appointed as advisor to governor only on the recommendations of governor N N Vohra. Though unlike Vohra the incumbent governor Vyas has not held any secretary level position in the central government but Kashmiri babus have started spreading rumours about the appointment B B Vyas as new governor of Jammu and Kashmir despite knowing that Vyas can’t be a comparison to Vohra. True it is that Vyas had developed strong political connections with top mainstream leaders including Abdullahs’ and Muftis’ but lately Abdullahs’ have obviously changed perception about Vyas as Omar Abdullah the leader of National Conference legislature party during his speech in the last year’s budget session in the assembly in Jammu pointed towards Vyas and passed on critical remarks about the unprecedented change in his style of working. Obviously it seems that Kashmir bureaucrats known for having strong political connections with B B Vyas are spreading rumours about his appointment as governor of the state just to earn his blessings and continue their hold on key positions. God knows better if Vyas pushes out Vohra to fulfill his ambitions of becoming governor of the state before the return of a popular government in the state.
